Synchronizing and slating method



Aug. 16, 1949. A. w. TONDREAU ET AL SYNCHRONIZING AND SLATING METHOD 2 SheetsSheet 1 Original Filed June 1, 1942 a K mwm Wm M? M E26 w ww kflfl 10M 7,

i 3 E W Patented Aug. 16, 1949 SYN CHRONIZING AND SLA'IING METHOD Albert W. Tondreau, North Hollywood, and Eldred B. McGreal, Glendale, Calif., assignors to Warner Brothers Pictures Incorporated, a corporation of Delaware Original application June 1, 1942, Serial No. 445,352, now Patent No. 2,402,103, dated June 11, 1946. Divided and this application March 9, 1946, Serial No. 653,257

Claims.

This invention relates to motion picture apparatus and particularly to a marking and slating system for picture film of a semi-automatic nature. This application is a division of application Ser. No. 445,352, filed June 1, 1942, entitled Film slating device, now U. S. Patent No. 2,402,100, issued June 11, 1946.

It is well-known. in the art of motion picture production, that the picture negative film is marked and/or slated for identifying the particular sequence or take in a motion picture continuity. That is, information is photographed upon the film at the beginning of the sequence to indicate the director of the picture, the cameraman, the particular scene and take, and the nature of the scene, such as a daylight exterior or night interior, the latter information aiding the laboratory in processing the film. The present invention is directed to a method for photographing such information on the film at the beginning of the take. I

Devices for slating motion picture film are well-known in the art, the oldest form perhaps being the clapstick slate wherein the information above-mentioned is written on a slate with chalk or pencil and then held in front of the camera and photographed on a series of frames at the beginning of the sequence. The clapstick type of slate is used also to provide a synchronizing mark on the picture film and sound film.

on the picture film while the sound of contact is recorded on the sound film. Such slates have many disadvantages in that they are an annoyance to the actors, they are difficult to position at the proper position in the various scenes, and they are wasteful of film.

Other forms of slates are also well-known in the art, such as those shown in Arnold U. S. Patent No. 1,810,002; Tison U. S. Patent No. 2,236,- 767; and in Thomas U. S. Patent No. 2,303,181. The majority of these prior art systems, however, are inconvenient to operate and require considerable adjustment to properly focus th slate information on the film when difierent lenses are used. These slates also require a manual operation to produce the sync marks.

The present invention is directed to a slating system for a picture film wherein the sync marking and slating are done substantially automatically, the slater being incorporated within the camera case and operated during the normal operation of the camera. The slating may even be accomplished without the cameraman being conscious of it. In operating the standard type of motion picture camera, the camera is moved away from the photographing lens or lenses, Which are fixedly positioned on the outside casing, in order to focus the lenses on a ground glass, which is in the film position, and to study the composition of the scene to be photographed. After the focusing has been accomplished, the camera is then racked back to its photographing position and the scene is sho or photographed.

In the present invention, the slating is accomplished during the time when the camera is out of photographin position and While the operator is still focusing the lenses on the scene or studying the composition of the scene. In the usual operation of the device, the motor is started and the film advanced through the camera while the camera is in the non-photographing position, the cameraman Waiting until the last moment before bringing the camera into the photographing position. The film is slated during these normal movements of the camera, and, since the slating elements are fixed and independent of the photographing lenses, the slating is always accomplished in an accurate manner. The invention also eliminates the necessity of having any large slating eiements mounted on or suspended from different portions of the camera or camera case, so that the device requires very little modification of the ordinary camera structure. Film is saved, since the slating is accomplished during the acceleration period of the film and when the cameraman hears the signal indicating the film is up to speed, he immediately racks the camera to photographing position.

The principal object of the invention, therefore, is to provide an improved method for the marking and/or slating of motion picture film.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved method for slating a motion picture film during the normal manipulations of the camera in photographing a scene.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved method for controlling automatically the impressing of a film with slating indicia while the camera is in the non-photographing position.

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention will be pointed out with particularity in the appended claims, the manner of its organization and the mode of its operation will be better understood by referring to the following description read in 3 conjunction with the accompanying drawings. forming a part hereof, in which:

Fig. l is an elevational view of the camera structure embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is aplan View of the camera taken alon the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front view of the camera shown in" Figs. 1 and 2 7 Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional plan view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view takenalong the;

termittently advancing a film 8 shown in dottedlines past an aperture in the camera box. The filmsistakenfrom asupplyreel Ill and woundon a take-up reel l i contained in a film magazine L2 mounted'on top of easin 5. The camerafl is mounted .in grooves l3 and i4 and may be moved back and forth by rack-and pinion combinations l5 and H, the pinionsbeing operated from a shaft having a handle l9 extending externally of the case 5. Thecarnera may thusbe racked .back and forth between-a position shown by the run lines and by. theoptieal axis A in Fig. 2, andaepositionshown by the dot and dash lines and the optical axis B. When in the full line position, the lens 2| mounted on the front of thecase S will focusthe sceneron the film 8. When the camera is-movedto the dot and dash line position,

the cameraman may, place his eye at an eyepiece 23 and focus the scene on a ground glass 22 in the view finder 24 along side the camera. The view finder has lenses 32 and .33 therein for-providing any desired magnification of, the image on the ground glass. After the scene hasbeen focused, the camera is moved back into photographing position substituting the film 8 for the ground glass 22. This is a standard motion picture camera arrangement.

Thecase 5. inaddition to its normal outer wall, has an inner wall 25 spaced from the forward outer wall, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5. Mounted on thewall 25 and in the space between the front wall of the case 5 and wall 25 is a'T-lcracket 2? which is fastened to the wall 25 in any. suitable manner, suohas by screws 28 andilfi. upper T--portion of the bracket 27 are mounted a pair of lamps 3i! and 3! arrangedsubstantiallyat a 45 angle to-the Wall 25 (see Fig. band 1 adapted to i lluminate indicia, as shown in-Fig. 6, through an aperture 34 in the forward Wall-of the case 5. (See Fig. 5.) The light reflectedfrom the indicia is reflect ed by a mirror 36, positioned at a 45 angle to the aperture 34, downwardly through projection lenses 3? in the lower portion of the bracket 21.

The'emergent light from lenses 3'! is reflected through a prism 39 and through an aperture 459 in the wall 25 .to the filmB. when thegcamera 6 is in the position shown by the dot and dash-lines inFig. 2. Thus, whenthe lamps 39 and 3] are energized, the light therefrom will provide an image of the indicia plate in Fig. 6 on the film B when .the film isin front of the aperture 45.

The indicia shown in Fig. 6 is composedof several components the center portion being on the cliicumferencesof a series of knurled rings, 44

mounted on a shaft 45, the ends ofthe shaft being mounted in the sides 46 and 47 of the indicia In the block 33. The indicia rings 44 have internal notches 48 therein adapted to accommodate the ends of respective pins 49 under tension of springs 50 to accurately position the letters and figures in the aperture 52. (See Fig. 5.) The rings have duplicate sets of indicia 54 diametrically opposite one another on the circumference of the ring so that the operator may know which particular number or letter is at the aperture 52. (See Fig. 3,) These rings provide the scene number, take number, and the character of the scene which maybe readily and rapidly changed by the cameramanor otheroperator simply by rotating the proper ring or rings. More permanent information which is. not varied as frequently is positionect in the aperture 34 by means of slides 55 and 56which may be of paper or metal and slid in appropriate grooves in the face of the indicia block.

The indicia block 33 may be positioned adjacent the aperturetlt or removedtherefromby sliding. the; block toward and away. from, re= spectively, the front wall of the camera along grooves 59 and Bi], which are accommodatedby the ends of a braekettZ- attached to the Wall. (See Fig. 3.) The indicia block is-held in proper position by a spring-pressed pin 63which lS-tfiC commodated by a. conjugatemotch in theindicia block. (See Fig. 5).

Referringagain to Fig. 2; forthe, sake of clare ity, an energizing circuit for the lamps 3c and '34 is shownexternally of thecase 5, but itisto be understood that the actual conductors forthe circuit. are preferably located within the case; 5... One of a pair, of conductors 65. from any suit: able powerisource is connected to an external switch'tli, the circuitcontinuing through an internal microsWitch-Sl, then to aresistanGeBS over a, conductor 69, the resistance providing the proper voltage for the lamps 39 and 3|, then through the two lamps 30 and 3| over conductors 69, 10, and ll,- then through a pilot lamp Hand backover Conductor Blito the power source. The lamps Stand 3i will, not ,beenergized unless both switches 66 and El are in closed position. They switch 66, of course, maybe manually actuated to closedposition externally of the case 5, but the switch 67 is operated to closedposition by the camera, tonly when the-camera is in the dot and dash lineposition shown inri 2. Thus, when the camera t is racked over forfocusingpurposes; the switch 61 is actuated by the camera and the cameraman opens the camera shutter to expose the stationary film to the light from the, indicia block 33; which burns the one frame adjacent the aperture 40. The, camera, however, is still in the dot and dash line position When the camerav motor is actuated and the film advanced, this action hotographing on the acceleratin film appropriate indicia such as shown in Fig. 6. When the film is upto speed, ahdthe cameraman is so advised, he immediately racks the camera back to the photographing positicnto record the scene, thus ,breaking' the energizing.

circuit for lamps 3t ands I This normal operating technique thereby pro:

vides a burned frame which mayco'rrespohd to a pencll or punch mark placed on thesound filmv by the recordist, and, since thecamerawmotor and sound recorder motor are brought up to .Speed instep and maintainedin step, the burned frame will provide a fsync mark fortl-ie picture negae tive. Sincethedmage of the indicia was impressed on; ,the, film during acceleration thereoi this w Pr de t e la e niormat ca requi ed-1 removable for cleaning simply by removing the bracket 2? from the Wall 25. This invention also provides a slating method which always fills a complete picture frame and is thus always of the same size and easily readable. With slates held in front of cameras, the information is photographed on different portions of the frames and varies in size with different lenses. The brigh ness of the slate images is also very consistent as compared with the images obtained with systems in which the slate is photographed through the photographing lenses.

It is to be noted that the only portion of the slating apparatus external of the case 5 is the indicia block 33 which is small and is in an unobtrusive position. The remaining elements of the slater occupy space which was heretofore unused or unoccupied. Furthermore, the sync marking and slating operations are now a, part of the normal and usual camera manipulation for shooting a scene, the slating being accom-- plished without the actors or others on the scene being made aware of the operations.

We claim:

1.. The method of producing a synchronizing mark and slating indicia on a motion picture film photographic image on said film of said indicia on a frame of said film while holding said film stationary, over-exposing said frame to said light image to provide an identifying mark on said film, and then accelerating said film while said light image is formed thereon to provide a latent photographic image on said film of said indicia Which becomes visible upon development of said film.

2. The method of producing a synchronizing mark and photographing slating indicia on a motion picture film to correspond to a synchronizing mark on another film adapted to be advanced in synchronism with said first film comprising projecting light from said indicia to said first mentioned film while holding said film stationary, over-exposing one frame of said first mentioned film with said light to produce a synchronizing mark on said first mentioned film to correspond to a synchronizing mark on said other film, then accelerating said first mentioned film, and exposing other frames of said first mentioned film to light from said indicia during said acceleration to record said slating indicia thereon.

3. The method of marking and slating a motion picture negative film to correspond to a synchronizing mark on a second film adapted to be advanced in synchronism with said negative film comprising illuminating slating indicia when said negative film is in one predetermined transverse position, projecting light from said indicia to said negative film while stationary to overexpose one frame of said negative film to mark the starting point on said negative film to correspond to the starting mark on said second film, accelerating said negative film, projecting light from said indicia to said negative film during the accelerating period thereof :to photograph said indieia on said negative film, and moving said negative film transversely to a second position to photograph a scene on said negative film.

4. The method of marking and slating a motion picture negative film in a camera to correspond with the marking of another motion picture film comprising illuminating slating indicia to be photographed on said negative film, projecting light from said indicia to said negative film, maintaining said negative film stationary to permit light from said indica to overexpose sad negative film at one point thereon, then accelerating said negative film, and projecting light to said negative film during the acceleration thereof to photograph images of said indicia on said negative film.

5. The method of producing a start mark and slating indicia on a motion picture negative film on which a scene is to be ph t raph r ing transversely moving said film between two positions, forming a light image of slating indicia on said film when said film is moved to one of said positions, over exposing said film with light from said indicia when said film is stationary, ace i-erating said film, light impressing said image of indicia on said film when said film is accelerated, and thereafter moving said film to the second position to photograph a scene thereon.

ALBERT W. TONDREAU. ELDRED B. MCGREAL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file or this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,051,193 Wittel Aug. 18, 1936 2,236,767 Tison Apr. 1, 1941 2,303,181 Thomas Nov. 24, 1942 2,339,377 Clark et al Jan. 18, 1944 Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,479,188 August 16, 1949 ALBERT W. TONDREAU ET AL.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 5, line 36, for photographic image on said film read comprisingformt'ng a light image;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read With this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 3rd day of January, A. D. 1950.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant C'ommz'ssz'oner of Patents.

Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,479,188

ALBERT W. TONDREAU ET AL.

It is herebj certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 5, line 36, for photographic image on said film read comprising forming a light image; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 3rd day of January, A. D. 1950.

August 16, 1949 THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Gommissz'oner'of Patents. 

